This sail was from a few years ago...The water could not have been more blue and the critter could not have been more accommodating...Big sassy white/pink 4/0 phly and a 12 wt...
Fishing the NorthEast can be a real challenge...Evertime I get to Phlorida and wet a line, soonerorlater I encounter magazine material. Monsters even hang out under/around the marinas just to entice/annoy...
IMHO...I suspect that if you can do well up here, down there it's alot easier to get your line stretched. I love Phlorida!

The fact that you landed that fish on a 12-wt. brings up a question...

... As I think more and more about building a 12-wt. of my own, I realize that although I can economize on the rod simply due to the lower cost of building vs. buying one "off the rack", I'm going to have to sink some serious cash into a good reel to handle large tarpon. Because the rod and reel combo I'm looking at price out around $900, I will likely never own a heavier combo, unless I want a divorce. I would imagine that an outfit capable of subduing a 200-lb. tarpon can handle mostly anything offshore that would bother chasing a fly (i.e. tuna, sails, 'hoo, mahi, shark, and so on). Is that correct?

Any well made quality reel should have a drag that won't let you down...if there are no "unintentional" weak links you can turn up the heat and beat up a big phish while the driver keeps you in a good position where leverage takes it's toll and quickly gets the hungry consumer to the boat...

If you try to do both phish and drive...both will suffer.
There are outfits around being sold by doctors/lawyers who made a one-time-trip to catch a dream...they've been there and done that...and now they are selling their gear...keep you eyes open for a deal!

Thanks for the info Pete; I agree that a competent operator can make all the difference between landing a fish and getting spooled. I have a feeling that once we make the move to Fla., our company will be looking into another boat, probably something to go offshore with. I've been a huge advocate of Grady White boats, and will push in that direction. They have a 25' CC that should be able to handle waters in the Gulf with little trouble. Perhaps then I can make the hook-up with some of the ocean speedsters out there. I'd love to catch a sail someday.

the idea of a large enuff rod to do the job needs to be ratcheted up size/weight wise. If you're gonna go for large fish, have a stick that'll fight hard, fast (IMO, YMMV). Shoot for a 8' or 8'3" 15 or more, 'cuz you're really not creating a 'casting' problem; these fish have been known to be fought to the point of exhaustion, released and then have turned up as floaters. My heaviest rod is a 14 and I'm not sure I'd want to go after a giant unless I planned to do all the work with the lower third/butt end and a diesel engine powered reel.

Not that it needs to be repeated, but don't forget to make a weak link in the system, either.